" Be an aupair " What does that means ?

" Be an aupair " What does that means ?

The term "aupair" arises from the Latin by, bets, who means "equal". The expression finds is origin in the idea of economic parity between the exchanged services, for example the work supplied in exchange for the accommodation and for the food.

The work of the au pair traveler consists in participating at the family life which receives her/him. She/He takes care of children and contributes to the domestic tasks. The young traveler will have to adapt himself to a new living environment. She/He will discover and will learn the customs of a different culture.

An aupair is like second hands for the host family, but she/he is also and especially a member of the family!

An au pair is not a cleaning lady. She/he is not either a specialized educator, a psychologist or a professional of caring children. However, she/he must have acquired a certain experience concerning the children and must be ready to share the life of a foreign host family. She/he has at least basic knowledge in the language of the country in which she/he stays.

The host family have the obligation to supply a single room to the au pair. The au pair have right to have one and a half day of weekly vacation, and her/his schedules vary according to the family host. Besides the hospitality of the host family during all the stay, the au pair will have a payment minimum in return of his services, by the host family.

The au pair will have the possibility also to attend classes, at the rate of a few hours a week.

Several countries participate to this program, either by welcoming au pair, or by exiling young people. The following countries are the main actors of this system: England, France, Ireland, Sweden, Spain, Germany, Austria, Netherlands, Italy, Norway, Iceland, the United States and Switzerland.

The conditions of participation and the conditons of welcome are slightly different if we leave in Europe or to the USA.

For countries the most visited by the " family trainees of helps ", an European agreement created in Strasbourg November 24th, 1969 was ratified in 1971 by the following States: Switzerland, Italy, Denmark, Luxembourg, Germany, Belgium, Norway Spain and Greece.

For other countries, the au pair persons have to submit themselves to the legislation of the State in which the stay will be made.

In the United States, no agreement defines the conditions of the au pair stay in the United States. The government decentralizes this task in special agencies which take care of the placement, the sponsorships organization. The conditions of participation of these agencies are defined by the American State Department. A text defines precise rules.

To be au pair in USA, it is necessary to have between 18 and 26 years old. The trainee makes a commitment for a minimum of 12 months. It is necessary to be a holder of the high school diploma and to have a good level in english. It is necessary to be non-smoking and to have a virgin police record.

The working schedule consists of 45 hours weekly as well as one and a half day of rest, and for a (need to check the new salary amount). For language classes, the host family has to pay them (500 dollars maximum).